Heikki Repo

The question I have is really "how does that led block work?" so seeing if voltage changes depending on different light conditions might give me some clue how seven leds are driven with three wires ?

That's how I became aware of this matter too, though on Facebook. I tend to have faith in his tech.

This particular ACL base is non-standard (closer to ACL2 in size). It is without lightmeter electronics and the original electronics don't function. For my use case and for many others too due to ergonomics it's better to try to fit the new electronics including LCD in the base. That way the camera doesn't become bigger and the pre-existing XLR connector can be used. By the way Duncan, if you have the lightmeter, I would be interested in finding out what voltages are present in the wires that go to the leds. I have an ACL head with the ldr resistor and the leds, but not the necessary electronics in the base and would like to try to build replacement for it. Three wires go to the 7-led block, I can give you their colors...

...and other features too, from single-system audio to Eclair timecode solution!

The very big issue with that website is the whole ACL1/1.5/2 categorization. Apart from the late ACL2, there are just ACLs with a variety of different motors and viewfinders at different points of time. I'm also curious about the shutter driveshaft. I have opened one early ACL and three later models and couldn't really recognize any considerable difference between them. I think I could open that particular one again and compare it to those that I have open now - perhaps there is some difference. Nonetheless there is loads of questionable information online. It might very well be that even the "early motor can't work with 400ft mags" is a myth caused by unmaintained magazines and cameras being too much for them.

I'm not the one making the motor, but I think that I speak for Aapo when I say that animation/timelapse motors are a different category of motor compared to this one. This motor builds upon the previous work Aapo has done and in those control boxes minimum fps has been around 3-5 fps.

It's ultimately about finding a balance between the extremely careful, OCD like relationship to one's camera ("I have to buy an expensive service before every shoot just to be sure, even if I haven't used my camera that much and it seems to work well") and a too relaxed approach ("this is how I remove pieces from my camera without any fear of breaking something by taking it apart in a mess and pushing carelessly with my screwdriver"). If it's a 60-90k camera used for award winning TV-series, please don't open it unless you know what you are doing. If it's a camera body that would essentially lie unused due to dried, messy lubricants and you wouldn't send it overseas for servicing in any case, why not learn a bit about how it works, try to service it, learn as much as possible from different sources. As for ACL, what I have learned from those who have collected such information more than I have over decades and who have serviced ACLs themselves is that 1) they don't have names for some specific lubricants. Thus I went for Klüber Isoflex LDS 18 Special and Nye #140B clock oil. Furthermore, never are these ACLs going to run through as much film as they did when they were used by a TV station. 2) I have manual pages for correct way to set the shutter/mirror sync. No way would I have done it otherwise ? The question about the self lubricating parts is interesting. ACL2 manual says that "The four drive shafts run in selflubrificated bearings and the camera mechanism should NEVER be oiled." Obviously, "never" might not mean 50 years later. The very important question is, do service houses such as VP do something about those self lubricated bearings when they rebuild ACLs? As I mentioned, one ACL movement is giving me a bit of an headache, because unlike previous ones, cleaning old grease and regreasing didn't solve everything. The funny thing is though that this is officially ACL2, so youngest of them all. Were it the other way around, I'd first have thought that it must be the self lubrication having run out. I'm still betting on dirt under main drive cover. But I'll probably know more after I remove the vertical shaft and see how much there is friction in the main drive after that. At least I have new old stock spares for the main horizontal drive shaft so I could replace it.

I have no doubt Tyler has worked on ACLs. They are nice and simple, even I have opened several. Mirror/shutter timing seems relatively easy to work with, clean and relube too (though I'm still trying to find the cause for some strange stiffness in one of them. We'll see if I go as far as try to replace the main drive with a spare). Still, there are things like adjusting the pull-down claw or removing the ground glass or checking FFD that I have no idea how to do, and what I have done thus far might not pass a real pro tech's bar. I'm an amateur and before this January, I didn't really even know how the movement looks like. So, please don't send your ACLs to me ?

As Aapo is building the first prototype motor for me, I can perhaps say in his stead that in the discussions thus far have been several crystal speeds and LCD screen for displaying the footage. Furthermore, as Aapo above writes, he plans to make the electronics in such a way that depending on the size of the base, the electronics can be installed in the base or in a separate enclosure. The ACL I have shipped to Aapo has a larger base, but it's not exactly the same as the ACL2 base. I'm having the electronics replaced, which allows using the XLR plugin of the base. Many details of the project haven't been fixed yet and might change along the way, so please be patient if Aapo doesn't explicate everything at this point :)

Here's how the motor connector looks like in ACL with the mid size base. As you can see, most connectors available won't fit. The right side accessory port is different: there a full size connector with the side "wings" fits.

Yes, that's what I did. No need to go all the way to the original destinations, which might risk making more damage with the hot iron.

Tedious! If one has to do that, it's best to systematically clip one wire at a time from the connector and solder it straight away to the new connector's wires and only then move to the next wire. That way the risk for mixing the wires is very low, one can hold the connector the right way around and compare. Before that, the connector should be made fit the base.

The issue with metal ITT connectors is that if I remember correctly, the connector for the motor on the base side doesn't fit unless it is cut down (I have had to replace it because it broke). With plastic that's much easier done...

Yes, that's normal. You can see those in film-era Hollywood movies quite often. What's the exact cause, someone else can tell - strong light bouncing from film gate bottom?

This is somewhat misleading. The original ACL was produced 1972-1973. Only late SN (2250-->) ACLs (starting from 1979) were officially called ACL2, while a combination of its features were available on ACLs many years before. The lightmeter is one of those features that were available already in 1973. Furthermore, the lightmeter was optional, so some 1973 (and later) ACLs have it while others don't. Bernie used to remove the lightmeter when he worked on the ACLs. It's a shame though, I thought it was a nice feature for anything more documentary style work.

Hi Duncan! Some answers to your questions: Two years ago Brenda Collins wrote: "www.SealconUSA.com Part numbers for mini jaeger connectors male and female. SJ533800006 SJ533811006" However, if you are handy with soldering iron, you could just replace the Jaeger connector with a XLR connector. I have done that -- there is a "tail" coming out of the camera. Works great. If I did it now, I'd probably test if a mini XLR connector would fit. You are correct. Only sliding switches here. But if you get a 9-pin mini-itt connector, you could wire a sticking button to it for running the camera like the one on the ergonomic grip is. That button activates the motor when the sliding switch is locked in the other position. Here and there. I guess those who own more tend to stay silent about the treasures they own ? Motors -- you are pretty much out of luck. Those are rare and expensive! Which is why there are lots of ACL bodies without motors going around. Fortunately, a new motor is in the works, but it won't use the original electronics. As for Pilotone boxes -- I'm pretty sure there must be some people who might occasionally visit this forum and own one, but aren't selling them on Ebay since they aren't worth much in the current digital reality. And those, who sell everything probably don't know they are ACL Pilotone boxes, even if they have inherited such pieces... There have been the single speed motor and then the two different variations of heavy duty. The Cinema Products modified motor is based on the original single speed motor. There was also in the early 2000s Clive Tobin's TXM-25A that replaced the camera base, but those seem to be rather rare. And as I mentioned, there is going to be a new motor later this year ? The issue with the original motors is that they were manufactured by the French defense contractor Thomson-CSF. I have asked about schematics but those who know more than I do say that such schematics don't exist and that these motors used non-standard components which is why they can't be repaired. The single speed motor even has one of the boards and components painted brown! I know that AZ Spectrum has been able to repair some motors, but apparently it's much easier to replace the motor innards that regulate the motor speed with entirely new electronics. BUT: There is also this guy I found by accident, who apparently has schematics for the heavy duty motor. He has done the work. You could ask if he would be willing to sell you the schematics: https://pouch4.wixsite.com/index/eclair

Very nice!

Well, I think it was Bernie who mentioned that. Then again, perhaps he just meant that one has to readjust the whole system if that's done, one can't just switch the GG and expect it to be in correct focus.

Later this year a new motor for ACL will be available from Finland. It replaces the original electronics and offers multiple sync speeds and includes a LCD to display battery voltage & footage counter.

The ggs were hand matched to cameras at the factory so as far as I know, one really can't use a different gg in a particular camera. But if Shurco does still re-etch ACL viewfinders that is a nice info. I really need to look into what is the correct procedure for removing the gg and especially for putting it back in.

I think his son does work with him, that's the impression I got when I sent him my ACL nearly a decade ago (how the time flies!). As for ACL techs, I think moving forward the key to success is to discover the service manuals (or at least what is left of them) and have copies available online. These cameras are surprisingly simple and reliable and pretty much any camera tech who knows how movie cameras work should be able to service ACLs. There are parts catalogues online with exploded view drawings to help with the process.

That was to make sure the shutter is closed by the time mirror moves in front of the gate to guarantee that the exposure is uniform across the frame. But I have read someone say here that they had Bernie replace the shutter and didn't see any difference. I myself have tried to look very hard if there is any difference in exposure between different parts of the frame and really, haven't found any issue.

ACL S16 modification requires only metal parts. It might be that VP has previously had a stash of parts for the modification but not having any left, aren't interested in manufacturing new parts. There was previously a set sold under the name of HD-144 for ACL conversion, that included a 144 degrees shutter. Perhaps VP had these? Those sets haven't been available in over a decade on the market, as far as I know. Les on the other hand apparently makes the parts himself. The conversion by Les differs from HD-144 in some ways. Online sources tell that the shutter isn't modified (175 degrees is retained), the viewfinder opening isn't modified and the VF is not moved upwards 1.1 mm to center the image on the VF. The ground glass isn't cleaned and redrawn, instead the extended part of the screen is marked. It's not as refined conversion, but it's very affordable and it works - and it's still available.

Les does still S16 modifications.